Captain Overboard–Radio Earth! are going to release their selftitled debut album on October 5th of this year.
I’ve had the chance to listen to the album in advance, read on after the jump.
Captain Overboard–Radio Earth! – Captain Overboard–Radio Earth! (2010)
C.O.R.E.‘s debut album starts off with the intro ’44 to Go’, which sets the mood for the album at hand. It’s got a heavy, yet melodic, sound.
Song #2, the first real song of the album, ‘Not me nor anyone’ starts off with an interesting Alternative Metalish riff. The clean but raspy vocals work great for the verses. During the pre chorus, the song turns to a more heavy approach which works nicely for the more melodic chorus. During the 2nd verse and pre chorus, you can almost hear Scott Bullock, the vocalist, lose his mind. After the 2nd chorus, the song takes a very interesting, almost Groove Metalish turn. Definitely a banger. The song already shows what Captain Overboard… have to offer and what you’re in for with this album. Heavyness and a lot of melody. The song’s outro is a bit weird and sounds out of place though.
The next song ‘Beyond the Stars’ is a song I’ve already had the pleasure of hearing as a demo. Of all the demos I’ve heard, this was by far my favorite. The really heavy tune plus the screamed vocals do it for me. The guitar melody during the chorus always reminded me of the middle part of Torture Killer’s ‘I Bathe in their Blood’, which I also loved to death. The biggest difference between the demo and this song is the great production on this song. The vocals on this song are just top notch, especially the hate-filled scream during the 2nd chorus. This song is heavy as fuck, yet has a very horror b-movie-ish melody.
Song number 4, ‘Shut my Eyes’ can also be found on their 3 and 4 Song Sampler (Download link below). Especially the bass playing during this song has a grungy, punky touch to it. It’s the most melodic song yet but because of Bullock’s screams also turns brutal at times. The synths during the chorus gives the song an Industrial touch.
The next song, ‘Skullabye’ could very well also be a song by Acid Bath. Especially the vocals really remind me of Dax Riggs this time. The song sounds almost like a Grunge song, except that I’ve never heard a Grunge singer scream his lungs out like that. ‘Skullabye’ ends after the heaviest part of the song and leaves you wanting more.
‘The King and his Crown’ starts off very thrashy. This is the first song that, vocally, doesn’t sound as emotional as the songs before. This short but sweet song sounds different than anything else on the record, yet you can hear that it’s the same band. It’s a Thrash Metal song without ripping off a known Thrash Metal band, which is pretty rare nowadays.
‘March’, the next song on the record goes a way more melancholic way. It’s a very dark song. Mr. Bullock sounds angry and sad at the same time. The doubled vocals of screams and clean singing really get you. This very song sounds like a single to me.
The 8th song on the album, titled ‘Cigarettes and time to kill’, is a song I’ve also already heard as a demo before. During this song you can hear the huge difference between the demo and the album. This version sounds way cleaner and heavier than the demo. This song is Sludge Metal at its’ best, in the vein of The Abominable Iron Sloth and, again, Acid Bath. During this song I’m convinced Scott Bullock lost his freaking mind during the recording of the album. He goes from calm clean vocals to insane screaming within milliseconds.
Next is the pretty short song ‘Spoiled Meat’, clocking in at 2 minutes. This song is pretty punky with hints of Hardcore. The middle part of the song could very well be the soundtrack to a horror film.
‘Like Dust in Roswell’, the 10th song, is more like an interlude, giving you 1:56 minutes to breath between the heavier songs.
‘I hope the Sea eats you alive’ starts off with melancholic synths and then goes right into a Hardcore song. After about 1:30 minutes it turns into a way different song, which sounds similar to the interlude before. It then turns so ugly and angry that I’m almost out of breath just from listening. This is awesome.
‘Primordial Sky Whisperer’ is next and starts almost like an Industrial song. Even when the vocals and guitar get in, it still sounds like an Industrial song, almost like a cross of Marilyn Manson and Nine Inch Nails. The song is different and not really up my alley but not bad.
The next song, ‘In the End’, is another song I’ve also heard before and I’m a bit disappointed he didn’t make use of his death grunts like in the demo but besides that, this song shits on the demo. It’s a short and to the point song, that’s extremely heavy, almost Death Metalish during the chorus and reminds me of Snot during the Verses. Me likey.
‘The Extinction of Suffering’ is next up. Another Sludge Metal song. It’s a good song but pales a bit in comparison to the other songs on the album, except the outro which I fell in love with. A very atmospheric piece that should have been made into a full song, in my opinion.
The last song of the album is called ‘The last Dream’, and more Grunge than anything else on the record. Many metalheads despise Grunge but personally I like Grunge. For those wanting a heavier sound, listen to the middle part of the song. After that it turns very melancholic and moody until the end of the song, and the album.
Captain Overboard–Radio Earth!’s self titled debut album is more than a Sludge Metal album, even though that’s the genre I’d put them into. It gives you some Groove, Thrash, Alternative Metal, Grunge and hints of Hardcore, Industrial and Death Metal. It’s a very versatile album which left me personally wanting more.
8/10
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You can download Captain Overboard–Radio Earth!’s 3 Song Sampler here.
